Rail-joint.



J. H. UNDERWOOD.

RAIL JOINT.

y f/omey JOSEPH H. UNDERWOOD, 0F ROSCOE, PENNSYLVANIA.

RAIL-JOINT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 1, 1912.

Patented J une i1, 1912.

serial No. 680,950.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH H. UNDER- wooD, a citizen of the United States, residingat Roscoe, in the county of Tashington and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rail-Joints; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, and to letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in rail joint connections and comprises a simple and eflicient means whereby strain at the joints may be reduced to a minimum and in the provision of means for securely holding the ends of a rail without the use of bolts which are now commonly employed for this purpose and which, owing to vibration incident to trains passing over the rails, tend to loosen the bolts, resulting in frequent accidents.

The invention comprises various details of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts which will be hereinafter fully described and then specifically dened in the appended claim.

I illustrate my invention in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a rail joint made in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 7. Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view on line 3-3 of Fig. 7. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of one of the clamping plates. Fig. 5 is a detail View of another of the clamping plates. Fig. 6 is a view of a portion of arail, and Fig. 7 is a horizontal sectional view through the two clamping plates interlocked without the rail.

Reference now being had to the details of the drawings by letter, A designates one of the clamping plates which is made preferably of the shape shown in Fig. l of the drawings and provided with a. base portion A designed to rest upon the ties of a railway, and the upright portion A2 adapted to engage the web of a railway rail. The upper surface of the base A is provided wit-h transverse recesses B which extend underneath the sides A2 and in the bottom of each recess are formed holes D for the reception of spikes. Intermediate the said recesses and projecting from the upper surface of the raised portion C are the lugs E, spaced apart.

F designates a rail of the usual construction, one of the flanges of which is recessed as at F for the reception of one of said lugs E, as shown clearly in the sectional View of the drawings. It will be noted that said base A has raised portions A3 near its ends and upon which adjacent ends of two rails, each interloclred with a lug E as shown and described, rest. A plate N, a detailjview of which is shown in the drawings, is provided with an upright web engaging portion l which is similar in construction to the upright portion A2 upon the plate A. Wings O project laterally from the bottom of the plate and are adapted to slide in the recesses B formed in the upper surface of the bottom A of the plate A and extend underneath the side A2, it being noted that the recesses extend entirely through the lower portions of said side A2, and each wing O is provided with an aperture O which, when the two plates are adjusted together in clamping relation with the rail, is in registration with an aperture D formed in the bottom of the recess outside the lower edge of the upright portion A2. It will be noted that the flange N2 formed near the lower edge of the wall N is provided with apertures H which, when the plates are adjusted in clamping relation, are in registration with the apertures D and are adapted to receive spikes I.

In adjusting my improved rail connection, the adjacent ends of two rails, each provided with a recess F formed in one flange, are placed upon the raised portions A3 and C of the plate A with the lugs E engaging the recesses F, in which positions the ends of the rail will contact with each other, after which the plate N is adjusted in place by causing the lateral extensions O thereof to slide through the recesses underneath the flanges of the rails and, when the plates are in their proper clamping relation, the apertures in the wings O will be in registration with the apertures D and the apertures H will be in registration with the apertures D in the bottom of the plate A for the reception of the spikes which hold the plates in their adjusted positions.

By therprovision of a rail joint made in `accordance with my invention, it will be noted that the usual fish plates which require bolts, which pass through registering apertures therein and through the web of the rails, are dispensed with and, by the provision of the clamping plates made in accordance with my invention, the two plates when interlocked will he held positively against independent longitudinal movement and with the spikes passing through the registering apertures the two plates will he securely locked from lateral movement away from the flanges of the rail.

By the provision ofl a rail joint made in accordance with my invention, the wear at the joints of the rails will he reduced to a minimum and all danger incident to nuts upon bolts commonly used for fastening the ish plates will be avoided.

What I claim to be new is A rail joint comprising two plates, one of which has an integral rail engaging flange and transverse recesses in the upper surface ,of the plate and which recesses communicate with o-penings in the lower portion of the flange, the upper surface of the recessed plate having raised portions adjacent to the ends and underneath said ange, lugs integral with the flange and raised portion underneath the latter, the other of said plates havingv a flange and lateral projections parallel to each other and adapted to slide in said recesses and through the openings in the flange of the rst referred to plate, said projections and bottom of the openings having registering apertures for the reception of fastening means,'the inner end of each of said projections upon the second referred to plate terminating in a shoulder adapted to Contact with the raised portions at the ends of the recessed plate to limit the movements `of thev two plates toward each other, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiX my signature in the presenceof two witnesses.

JOSEPH H. UNDERWOOD. Vitnesses:

ROBERT PARKINS, JOHN WRIGHT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents Washington, D. C. 

